The Leader in Polar Adventures Arctic & Antarctic Expeditions / 2017.18
/ Why Quark? Your Trip of a Lifetime A map is more than just latitude and longitude. For the adventurous spirit, a map is the first page of the story one that beckons to be told. As explorers guiding explorers, everyone at Quark Expeditions will help you create stories worthy of the telling. Here are six reasons why we are the Leader in Polar Adventures. Experience the Quark Six videos at youtube.com/quarkexpeditions Photography is a big part of the polar experience 4 Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for detailed itineraries
Why Quark? / POLAR PIONEERS Quark has been pushing expedition boundaries since 1991. We offered the first circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean, and the first carbon-neutral voyages to Antarctica. Our innovative spirit continues to serve us well. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE The Quark reservoir of knowledge runs deep and we share it readily. Our experience is so sought after, we set industry standards for safety, with an authenticity and confidence you will feel in everything we do. PEOPLE AND PASSION People make the journey great and we attract the very best, from logistics and sales to our guides, leaders and captains. This results in insightful planning, spell-binding stories and deep personal connections. FOCUS ON DETAILS We know that the moments you will treasure are the sum of a thousand details gone right. So we check and recheck, making sure landing sites are safe and points of interest are scouted. RELENTLESS INVESTIGATION Because nature is in constant motion, Quark digs the hardest to find the elusive animals, offering the richest sighting experiences. Showing you something others can t makes it all worthwhile. BALANCING RISK AND REWARD How we explore further is based on the all-important pillar of safety, with the profound understanding of risk versus reward. At Quark, we didn t read the book on safety we wrote it. Call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.979.2061 or your Travel Professional 5
/ Scientists & Special Guests Scientists & Special Guests In addition to our expedition staff, Quark welcomes a host of on-board experts, special guest speakers and working scientists from our exclusive Scientist-in-Residence program who all pitch in with lectures and presentations during our voyages. Passengers rub shoulders with leading botanists, ornithologists, geologists, zoologists and the like, chatting with them informally at dinner or taking part in group discussions. Visit QuarkExpeditions.com to discover which trips feature special guests. HISTORIAN JONATHAN SHACKLETON Cousin of Sir Ernest Shackleton and family custodian of the Irish Shackletons, historian and writer Jonathan Shackleton joins Quark Expeditions every year. He gives lectures and shares stories about his ancestor s famed expeditions to the South and recounts many of his own Antarctica experiences. RESEARCHER DR. TOM HART Founder of the Penguin Lifelines project at Oxford University and the Zoological Society of London, Dr. Hart will be aboard select Antarctica voyages, researching how penguins adapt to their changing environment. He is an excellent source of penguin anecdotes and happily shares them, along with his ardent passion for wildlife conservation. 10 Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for detailed itineraries
Explorers Collection / ARCTIC WATCH WILDERNESS LODGE: ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE AT 74 N (see page 37) This is a very distinctive group, a whole other level. Our hand-picked portfolio of extraordinary expeditions raises the bar for true polar exploration, featuring unique accommodations and modes of travel exclusive to Quark. This wilderness lodge on Somerset Island in Nunavut, Canada, offers iconic wildlife, breathtaking vistas and more. The non-stop adventure puts you right in line with the polar bear migration path, with ringside seats for spectacular beluga whale-watching. Adventure Options: NORTH POLE: THE ULTIMATE ARCTIC ADVENTURE (see page 33) Crush through pack ice on legendary icebreaker 50 Years of Victory, survey the full seascape in an all-encompassing helicopter ride or head up in the clouds for a hot-air balloon experience. This polar package truly is the trip of a lifetime. Adventure Options: NORTH POLE EXPRESS: BARNEO ICE CAMP (see page 36) Fly into this seasonal science station on the frozen Arctic Ocean at 89º N and bond with explorers, scientists, pilots, engineers and mechanics. Then take a helicopter the rest of the way to 90º N and back all in just three days. Adventure Option: Call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.979.2061 or your Travel Professional 11
The Arctic 14 Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for detailed itineraries
A whole new perspective is waiting for you north of the Arctic Circle. Here, you will discover the art and science of what real expedition is all about. Connect with new people, explore exotic environments, and commune with wildlife in their natural habitats. A fleet of icebergs in eastern Greenland Call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.979.2061 or your Travel Professional 15
ARCTIC / A Day in the Life A peaceful hillside respite; Greenland communities add color to the shoreline A Day in the Life: Spitsbergen The Polar Plunge is all part of the adventure 16 Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for detailed itineraries
A Day in the Life / ARCTIC Experience Quark s day-in-the-life and 360 VR videos at youtube.com/quarkexpeditions Majestic reindeer dot the hillside; Zodiac cruisers are able to get very close to the bears 6:30AM After a quick coffee, we coax ourselves into the morning with a rejuvenating hour of matbased yoga. Heading up on deck to see what the day is like, we breathe in the crisp arctic air. The sun peeps out from the adjacent hilltop, igniting the morning sky over the inlet with a blaze of orange. We watch the crew methodically go about preparing the Zodiacs for the day s first landing, then head to our cabin to get our own gear together. 9:45AM Mid-morning, the towering basalt cliffs of Alkefjellet make an excellent backdrop for bird watching. An estimated 100,000 breeding pairs of thick-billed murres raise their young here. With our binoculars, we comb the base of the cliffs for polar bears, who are on the lookout for a free egg meal. They don t call this the Wildlife Capital of the Arctic for nothing. Edging back to the mouth of the fjord, the Expedition Team is constantly searching for walruses and reindeer. 2:30PM After regrouping on board for a delicious buffet lunch, we meet with the head of the kayak team, who outlines the afternoon s excursion through one of the more isolated pockets of Spitsbergen. It doesn t disappoint; the kayaks bring us even closer to the action. The scenery is nothing short of amazing so quiet and the light is perfect for my camera. Nearly each day we see something new, like a rare bird species or an abandoned settlement from a century ago. 5:00PM A late-afternoon lecture in the theater by one of the on-board historians outlines the geology and history of Spitsbergen, and sheds light on what it was like for those who first traversed these seas. Then at the day s debriefing, we learn about what some of the other groups encountered, sharing experiences and laughs before heading for a cocktail. Call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.979.2061 or your Travel Professional 17
ARCTIC / The Svalbard Archipelago A soggy polar bear makes his presence known 18 Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for detailed itineraries
The Svalbard Archipelago / ARCTIC The Svalbard Archipelago This island grouping between mainland Norway and the North Pole is one of the world s northernmost inhabited areas, famous for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers and frozen tundra. Sail in the wake of early explorers, scanning the horizons in 24-hour sunlight for polar bears, reindeer, and arctic foxes. Call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.979.2061 or your Travel Professional 19
ARCTIC / Introduction to Spitsbergen Ships take you right into the thick of the action; curious puffins; timber structures at Camp Mansfield, Svalbard Arctic Ocean Phippsøya Kvitøya Introduction to Spitsbergen: Polar Bear Safari There is no shortage of beauty in Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago and the definitive realm of the polar bear. Get a taste of everything the Arctic has to offer with this voyage from Longyearbyen: hiking the surprisingly colorful tundra, exploring the fjords in a Zodiac, and experiencing incredible wildlife sightings every day. Continuous daylight makes your journey seem limitless. You will never want it to end. Nature is the tour guide: Sea, ice, and weather conditions will affect your trip itinerary. Embrace the unexpected. Moffen Greenland Sea Monaco Glacier Smeerenburg Bellsund Alkefjellet SPITSBERGEN Longyearbyen Calypsobyen Hornsund Nordaustlandet Barentsøya Edgeøya SVALBARD (Region of Norway) 9 DAYS from $5,195 per person Three June and July departures. See page 43 for pricing. Ships: Ocean Nova, Sea Adventurer Adventure Options: 20 Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for detailed itineraries
Spitsbergen Explorer / ARCTIC The expeditions were excellent. It was amazing to get up close and personal with polar bears and walruses. Marlene Mackenze The dramatic landscape speaks volumes; ice sculptures create a natural art gallery; cliff-side bird watching Arctic Ocean Phippsøya Kvitøya Spitsbergen Explorer: Wildlife Capital of the Arctic From polar deserts to immense glaciers, the windswept landscape of Spitsbergen is just as varied as the wildlife. A bit more in-depth than our Introduction itinerary, this is a classic tour of the biggest island in the Svalbard archipelago. The trip departs from Longyearbyen and heads up the western edge before venturing around the north, home to polar bears, walruses, and whales. Colonies containing thousands of birds can be seen from our Zodiacs. Nature is the tour guide: Sea, ice, and weather conditions will affect your trip itinerary. Embrace the unexpected. Moffen Greenland Sea Monaco Glacier Smeerenburg Bellsund Alkefjellet SPITSBERGEN Longyearbyen Calypsobyen Hornsund Nordaustlandet Barentsøya Edgeøya SVALBARD (Region of Norway) 11 DAYS from $6,295 per person Five June and July departures. See page 43 for pricing. Ships: Ocean Nova, Sea Adventurer Adventure Options: Call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.979.2061 or your Travel Professional 21
Embark and Escape For many people, the need to explore is a necessity. It s a craving that gets under your skin and waits for the next journey, the next exploit of the mind and heart. At Quark Expeditions, exploration is about embracing the opportunity to give in to your sense of adventure and letting the thrill carry you away.